Branson theaters look to second act

Theaters closings in Branson are nothing new, but the culture in Branson is different these days.

The winter shutdown has come and gone, yet a few notable theaters appear to be remaining dim, leaving the future unclear.

Sea change
While the Baldknobbers Jamboree Show launched in 1959 and the Presley family opened the Presleys’ Country Jubilee in 1967, and each is still going strong, those landmark theaters are something of an exception.

In this tourist town, the rule is that properties such as The Glen Campbell Goodtime Theatre often change hands. Another piece of evidence is the Roy Clark Celebrity Theatre largely credited with helping launch the early 1990s boom that has since become the Hughes Brothers Celebrity Theater.

In recent years, national entertainers Yakov Smirnoff, Andy Williams and Tony Orlando have ended their long performing runs. The hulking Grand Palace has shuttered and sits empty. Shepard of the Hills closed its outdoor theater after 54 years in October. This winter, Jim Stafford, a staple on 76 Country Boulevard, also has sent the fat lady out for his closing number. The Americana and the Icon theaters are closed and for sale.

The moves could mark a sea change for the community of roughly 10,000 billed as the “live entertainment capital of the world.”

Steven Critchfield, a Branson-based commercial real estate broker with Commercial One Brokers LLC, said during his 20 years in Branson real estate, he’s seen plenty of theaters close. The problem the city is facing now isn’t due to a lack of visitors or a lack of interest in shows, he says.

The entertainers who put Branson on the map are no longer around.

“The entertainers who came here 20-plus years ago – their lives have changed and in some cases, they’ve died,” Critchfield said. “I think we’ve come to a point in time where we need to change, and we are changing. The theaters are changing and the people who own theaters are rethinking their business plans.”

Renee Johnson, director and secretary of the League of Branson Theatre Owners and Show Producers, said while she knows a handful of theaters have shut down or are up for sale, she doesn’t believe the curtain is closing on Branson. She said 21 theaters and their owners, out of 32 across the city, are association members. Noting the number has been steady throughout the recession, she acknowledged it might be time for a second act.

“I don’t think we are anywhere near seeing empty theaters on the strip,” Johnson said. “I think there are aggressive buyers going after these properties, and each one is in different stages of transition.”

At the Americana Theater, such acts as the 3 Redneck Tenors and comedian Todd Oliver have been absorbed by other theaters. Since January, the 729-seat theater has been listed for sale by Commercial One Brokers for $4.5 million or $30,000 a month leased.

Another transition underscoring the city’s changing landscape is the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre at U.S. Highway 65 and Highway 248, where Mercy’s plans for a $34 million clinic will follow this year’s Oak Ridge Boys performances.

Next act
Still, Branson stalwarts are working to retain the legacy.

Ross Summers, president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Jimmy Osmond is now running Moon River Theatre, and he expects to line up a variety of new acts this year. Similarly, Julie Christians, manager of the RFD-TV’s theater in operation since 2007, said she was finalizing the 2014 schedule and expected to announce the acts by April.

Summers said he also understands Moon River Theatre will host “The Price is Right” this summer as it diversifies in its founder’s absence. Williams died in September 2012 at the age of 84 following a battle with bladder cancer.

Critchfield said while many old acts are out, theaters attempting to draw families such as the Sight & Sound Theatre, which produces the biblical drama, “Jonah,” might be the wave of the future.

Summers said Branson’s days are far from numbered, pointing to an estimated 1.9 percent rise in visitors last year. The city drew roughly 7.3 million tourists in 2013, he said.

“Branson is always evolving. It never stands still,” Summers said, adding the tourist town has for years marketed itself as a family destination, not just to seniors or country music fans.

Stephanie Hein, assistant professor and interim head of the hospitality and restaurant administration department at MSU, said Branson isn’t unlike other tourist destinations in that they all want to attract the next generation of visitors. She said the city has sufficiently attracted older visitors, but its next challenge is to broaden its appeal.

“One of the things to remember in Branson is that there are a lot of independent hotel properties, which may not have the technology infrastructure of the chains,” Hein said. “With this millennial generation and travel, when they are looking for information about hotels, they go to the Internet. They do a TripAdvisor search. They look for the rankings, and that’s how they travel.

“Large hotel companies have a person whose sole job is to handle that social media. If you are an independent, you may not have the resources or infrastructure to do that.”

While leisure activities might compete with entertainment options, Hein said Branson could offer both to travelers.

“This is a great opportunity for Branson to sell its outdoor activities,” Hein said. “Millennials want activity, and Branson has a lot to offer.”

On Feb. 27, Bass Pro Shops founder John Morris announced the PGA Tour’s Legends of Golf tournament would be held the next five years at the Top of the Rock golf course at Big Cedar Lodge, adding another outdoor option for visitors.

Summers said as long as the economy continues its slow but steady recovery from the recession, so will Branson. He said he’s expecting visitors to increase by 2 to 3 percent in 2014.

“Has Branson reached its peak? Is Branson dying? No,” Summers said. “In the past year and a half, CoxHealth has committed to investing more than $100 million in Branson. Mercy is planning another $50 million or so at the Oak Ridge Boys Theatre. Would they have done that if they didn’t believe in Branson?”[[In-content Ad]]